Hollywood Adventureland

Just finished piecing together a new live video for Club of the Sons. There were “technical” difficulties with the video for their cd release show so improvisation was required. I scrounged for older clips and youtube snips to create the patchwork below.

Recent viewings of note…

love a good sunset

District 9 ****1/2 One of the best original films I’ve seen all year, and definitely one of the best sci-fi films of the past five years, Distric 9 grabbed me in the first five minutes and tightened it’s fingers throughout the 112 minutes. Filmed on a shoestring budget considering size and scope, and with a relatively unknown cast stateside; this film is a must see for lovers of thought-provoking science fiction.

"aren't you that chick from twilight?"

Adventureland ****1/2 Surprised and shocked to find myself thoroughly enjoying this film that was not even on my radar due to the horrific advertising campaign labeling it another gross-out, goofball comedy. This film is a fantastic coming-of-age tale with real performances and genuine humor. Please do seek out.

"for the last time, there are no zombies here."

A Perfect Getaway *** A favorite genre director of mine, David Twohy, returns with this seemingly by the numbers thriller that starts off clunkily, but offers up a twist midway through the thrills that turns everything on end. Nice performances from some familiar faces including Milla Jovovich, Steve Zahn, and Timothy Olyphant.

Down with Kenny and Terry

I am excited to be working with some of my very talented former students in creating a new web series that is scheduled to premiere on Aug. 30. Here’s the 2nd promo.

Also of note, I just watched this fantastic trailer for Terry Gilliam’s (one of my favorite directors) latest, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which also happens to be the final performance of Heath Ledger who passed before his role was completed. Enter Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law who offered their services so the film could be finished.

That looks like old-school Gilliam and I for one am excited.

(57) days of summer

and just like that my summer vacation is over. School kicks up again on the 10th of August, but I’ll be there most of this week preparing for the young ones’ arrival.

I edited lots of video this summer but most intriguing were the 3D videos I had the opportunity to produce for Club of the Sons, for their CD release show in July.

I watched several films throughout the hot season and rather than attempt a review of each I’ll just drop a line or two.

Marion Cotillard in P. E.

Public Enemies **** – Johnny Depp as John Dillinger directed by Michael Mann. This one nears greatness, but not quite .

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen *1/2 – right now I’m thinking the worst big-budget film ever made, but there’s a lot of movies I haven’t seen so that statement may not be entirely true.

J. G. L. and Z. D. as Sid and Nancy

(500) Days of Summer ****1/2 – one of the best movies I’ve seen all year and actually regains a lot of ground for the “chick flick” genre. I take that back, technically it’s not a chick flick at all.

The Hangover ***1/2 – funny movie.

The Proposal **1/2 – too cliched and predictable to be considered a good movie, but the actors are fun to watch.

Terminator: Salvation ** – Christian Bale couldn’t save this poorly plotted excuse for a Terminator film.

[REC] ***1/2 – the original Spanish film that was remade as Quarantine here in the states. This version is better.

Fast and Furious ** – still not as good as the first one, which isn’t saying much.

Valkyrie ***1/2 – solid film, but not particularly memorable.

Waltz with Bashir **** – impressive and moving animated documentary

Rachel Getting Married **** – bravo Anne Hathaway

Push ** – sucked

?

Synecdoche, New York ****1/2 – didn’t suck, and was refreshingly original all the while being slightly depressing.

Revolutionary Road ***1/2 – Jack and Rose got married and then their life together was one giant pit of despair. Enjoy!  (seriously the performances are great here, but oh the despair!)

The above list is not conclusive, but that’s all I have time for now.

until…

wrestling with claws and splinters in space and time…

Star Trek ****1/2 has been wondrously updated for modern audiences. Director J. J. Abrams has taken the drollness of past trek and injected energy into the proceedings all the while staying true to the heart of Roddenberry’s creation . This is indeed Star Trek, but new and improved with a fantastic cast and seamless effects. I was never a hardcore trekkie or trekker depending on your time frame, but consider me on board for this next wave of space adventure.

Wolverine ** brings the comic book movie (which has been soaring to new heights with Iron Man and Dark Knight) back down to it’s most cliched roots with lightning punctuations and shallow characters doing pointless things in an attempt to thwart villains who – if you saw X-men and X2 – aren’t going away anytime soon.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Gavin Hood succeeded in making a boring movie about the most interesting of X-men. Hugh Jackman is given absolutely nothing to do in this movie but look sad, growl, and yell. Better luck next time bub.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ***1/2 fantastic special effects in what amounts to a beautifully filmed coming-of-age story where age is everything. I found myself strangely disconnected with the first hour or so of this film despite the incredible special F/X. The only thing interesting about this man’s life is the fact that he’s aging in reverse. Without this conceit, it would be a rather dull affair. I watched short slices of his rather average life (the war sequence being the one exception) for nearly three hours and got to the end feeling a bit short-changed.

The film does find it’s footing in the middle, when both leads get to perform without the hindrance of digital manipulation. Ironically this is also when the characters feel the most alive, but then the last half happens and I once again became a bit detached. Don’t misunderstand, the film is definitely worth watching, and the age effects some of the best ever put on film, but don’t go into it expecting a life-changing experience. The characters didn’t grab me as they should have in order for the movie to have lasting resonance. It’s a  good film, but nowhere near great and director Fincher has made better.

The Wrestler ****1/2 succeeds because I am not nor have I ever been even remotely interested in the “spectacle” of professional wrestling, but I wanted to know the fate of Randy the Ram. This film succeeds because of the characters and their lives.  Mickey Rourke does give a fantastic performance as the Ram, a once glorified wrestling star now a has-been relegated to the local scene where jumping off of ladders into plates of glass wrapped in barbed wire is the norm. I disagree with some critics who say this one is for everyone, because I can name several people I know who won’t like it at all, but Darren Aronofsky (one of my favorite directors) has shifted gears with this film and proven he can do more than trippy and sci-fi and trippy sci-fi.

Splinter ***1/2 a B-movie with A tendencies. There isn’t anything new about Splinter, the horror/creature film from director Toby Wilkins, but it does harken back to the old school  (ie: actually make a creature suit and put a man or woman inside and have it scare the actors), and for that I give it props. The actors you’ll recognize from television; they do a decent of job of transfering their fears to the audience, and the creature design is clever. Worth a rent if you’re a fan of this type of film.

Tenn. eleven, twelve…

I and my new Sony HDR-FX1000 had the opportunity to attend the EP release show for one, Crystal Thomas, in Nashville on April 16. A tripod and an extra master shot would’ve helped my footage which alternated between hand-held and resting on a table top, but the performance speaks for itself.

Also in Nashville I caught I Love You Man ***1/2, the starring vehicle for Paul Rudd, who proves that being socially awkward is fun for everyone (except young children of course – this one is rated R).

Finally watched the Peter Sellers’ classic Being There (Netflix probably thought I ran off with the thing) and it was quite an experience. Sellers performance is one for the ages and the final shot is utterly inspiring.

Another little gem I happened upon thanks to Harry Knowles over at AICN was the low-budget time thriller Timecrimes. Using the time travel theory made popular in the Back to the Future films this one tells a simply intricate tale.

One month of school left and then what promises to be a busy summer…